Jason Kelce had the Eagles coach, who is battling cancer, tie up his ankles to give his retirement speech

When Jason Kelce announced his retirement, the Eagles released A.J video Kelce is shown thanking the team's employees for their years of hard work. A closer look at this video revealed something unusual: Kelce's ankles were bound with tape, as is the case in the match. It turns out that the ankle tape reflects a special relationship between Kelce and the team's coach.

Eagles coach Joe Obiella wrote on social media that he has taped Kelce's ankles every game for years. But Opila missed the final game of Kelce's career, a playoff loss at Tampa, because he was receiving chemotherapy. So Kelce asked Obila to be the last person to tie his ankles as an eagle, and to do so before his retirement speech.

“You all know about the accomplishments on the field, and the many accomplishments off the field as well, but what this man has meant to me and now my family over the past decade is almost indescribable,” Opila wrote. “In what would be his final season, when I was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo radiation and chemotherapy, he offered up his beach house if I needed to get away, and he offered to pay for meal services to help me and my wife. And he called me randomly when I was home, because I was so sick that That I couldn't come over because of chemo, just to check on me and chat about random things. That's who he is as a person. I taped this guy's ankles and thumbs every day for 13 seasons, and when he played his last game in Tampa, once again I couldn't be there There because of cancer. And when he told me he was retiring and I expressed my regret that I wasn't the last person he'd ever record, he offered to let me record him at his retirement news conference. That's who he is. I hope these stories add to his already incredible legacy.

In a video of Kelce addressing Eagles employees, he expresses his gratitude.

“Thank you so much for everything everyone here does and means to this organization and the players,” Kelce said. “It has been an honor to work with all of you.”

Clearly the feeling is mutual.